The Third Hokage was momentarily stunned-Xin had already refused before he could even explain.
"Could you at least tell me why? This mission is very important to the village. Aren't you willing to serve your village?"
"What does that mean, Hokage-sama?" Xin's face flushed red with anger as he raised his voice.
"If I wasn't willing to serve the village, why have I risked my life taking on missions?"
"If I wasn't willing to serve the village, why did I go to the front lines to fight?"
"If I wasn't willing to serve the village, why did I threaten Hanzo and bomb Amegakure?"
"If I wasn't willing to serve the village, why did I accept the role of Jonin instructor to train the next generation?"
"Hokage-sama, do you feel no guilt saying something like that to me?"
Xin's voice echoed loudly through the Hokage's office, so much so that even those in the hallway outside could hear him.
People passing by stopped, staring at the door in shock, not sure what was going on.
The atmosphere was tense. Some of the Anbu members considered stepping in to calm things down, but on second thought, they realized Xin hadn't done anything wrong-he was just being loud.
Besides, when it came to sensitive matters like this, it was best for Anbu to stay out of it.
"That's not what I meant at all," Hokage tried to explain, now flustered by Xin's outburst.
He had only intended to make a casual remark, but Xin's heated response had thrown him off.
"Then what did you mean, Hokage-sama?" Xin wasn't letting up, his voice growing even more intense.
"Does taking on village missions not count as serving the village?"
"Does going to the battlefield and fighting enemies do not count as serving the village?"
"Does being a jonin instructor, helping young shinobi grow, not count as serving the village?"
"Then please, Hokage-sama, enlighten me--what exactly does it mean to serve the village?"
"I follow every mission the village assigns me. I go to war when the village sends me. I train new recruits when the village asks me to."
"And yet, somehow, I haven't served the village?"
"Did Xin Usagi just walk into the Hokage's office?" Someone whispered in the hallway.
"Yeah, it's him. That kid's young, but I hear he's really strong. Even the Third Kazekage and Hanzō have fallen for his tricks."
"What's going on in there? Sounds like he's arguing with the Hokage."
"Who knows? Best not to pry into things that don't concern us."
The hushed murmurs quickly died down as Anbu agents shot warning glances toward the gossiping shinobi, reminding them to mind their own business.
Still, everyone strained their ears to catch more of what was being said inside.